Monday Minute - November 14, 2011

An Exciting Week Ahead

Last Friday’s Veteran’s Day Celebration and the opening of the Fall Book Fair kicked off an eventful week for Commerce Middle School.  Our school will recognize American Education Week and Bullying Awarness Week from November 14-18.

Teacher Appreciation Breakfast

Thank you to the CMS PTO for the great breakfast spread this morning!  PTO officers Michelle Harold, Marsha Leffew, Doreen Hill, and Stephanie McDonald organized the Teacher Appreciation Breakfast to coincide with the opening of American Education Week.  The scrumptious casseroles were prepared for us by Audrey Andrews, Tricia Massey, and Carla Pitts.

The Book Fair Boogie

The “Book Fair Boogie” is this week’s after-school dance sponsored by the PTO.  The dance will take place on Wednesday, November 16 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.  All students in grades 5-8 are invited to attend.  Admission is $3.00 at the door.  During the dance, students and parents are encouraged to visit the Book Fair.  Thank you in advance to all teachers who attend the dance to assist with chaperoning.  Those who attend for 30 or more minutes will receive documented comp time to be used on any duty-free and meeting-free afternoon.

Recognizing Our Teacher of the Year

Mrs. Carolee Jones, CMS Teacher of the Year, will be recognized at tonight’s Board of Education meeting.  The System Teacher of the Year will be announced at this 7:00 p.m. meeting.  Good luck Mrs. Jones!

Lunch and Learn Meetings Begin Tomorrow

Grade-level “lunch and learn” meetings will begin tomorrow with the 5^th grade team.  All lunch and learn meetings will take place in the conference room.  Weekly meeting times have been provided to all teachers.  Any special break/recess plans should be communicated to the Connections teachers.  Mrs. Andrews and I will provide cafeteria supervision during lunch and learn meetings, but are available to participate in the meetings as needed.  Weekly lunch and learn meetings are prime time for looking at student achievement issues, sharing best practices, analyzing data, planning and problem-solving, brainstorming, setting goals, and creating action plans.  Teams should submit a copy of the meeting’s notes to team members, Mrs. Andrews, and me as soon as possible after the meeting.

Teachers as Advisors – PAWS Meeting This Wednesday

Student advisory groups will meet this Wednesday at 8:50 a.m. in teacher advisor classrooms.  All grade level teams should have plans in place for this meeting.  Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Pitts, and I will be visiting advisory groups to take a picture for posting outside the classroom.  Members of the Advisory Design Team are requested to post activities and lessons for this week’s meeting on the school’s Q Drive.

Food for Thought

“Better a moving turkey than a sitting duck. If you’re just standing still, whatever you’re doing is going to get shot apart.”   ~John W. Rowe

Weighted GPA Survey

Teachers who wish to share feedback and ideas related to the use of a weighted grade point average in our school should respond to the online survey found at http://www.kwiksurveys.com/online-survey.php?surveyID=OHJHMM_e0d562d6 on or before November 18.

Monday Minute - October 24, 2011

·      I believe we would all agree the timing of our fall break was dead-on. With 11 weeks of school and an SACS accreditation review behind us, we can focus on the next 20 days of teaching and learning before the Thanksgiving holidays.

·      Kudos to Kim McCarty and Laura Vail for attending the Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (GCTM) Conference at Rock Eagle during our fall break. Here’s hoping the conference provided some solid takeaways to begin implementing in your classes and to share with the CMS math team.

·      Mrs. Andrews and I will be working to block full-day ISS assignments into 1-2 days per week to ensure as few interruptions of paraprofessional classroom support as possible.  Of course, disciplinary infractions that call for immediate ISS intervention will be handled accordingly.

·      Our next round of grade-level collaboration meetings have been scheduled for the following dates:

o   Grade 8 – Friday, October 28 – 7:55 a.m.

o   Grade 6 – Monday, October 31 – 9:55 a.m.

o   Grade 5 – Monday, October 31 – 1:55 p.m.

o   Grade 7 – Wednesday, November 2 – 8:55 a.m.

Please plan to discuss the performance of your special education students as well as those receiving Tier 2 and 3 interventions. Please forward any recommended agenda items to me this week. Finalized meeting agendas will be sent to teams at least 24 hours before meeting time.   

·      Moodle training will be taking place this Wednesday as scheduled.  Participating teachers will devote ½ day to the training and will come together again on December 13 for additional training. 

·      While on the topic of technology, our school is the fortunate recipient of some unanticipated Title VI, Part B funds as appropriated by the state government.  With these funds, we will be addressing some of our most pressing needs and will also be providing teachers the opportunity to apply for funds by completing a mini-grant application at:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDAxV2VfX21mTm4zTVd4T251dUlsU3c6MQ&theme=0AX42CRMsmRFbUy05ZGE0Y2Q5ZS0zNTRmLTQzNmMtYjM5ZS1hN2Y0YjkzMmI4NDY&ifq  Mini-grant applications should be submitted on or before 3:00 p.m. on Monday, October 31.

·      Due to lack of availability of our preferred disc jockey, this week’s PTO dance is being rescheduled for a later date.

·      With November’s arrival, CMS will continue to celebrate Veteran’s Day with a school-wide program on Friday, November 11.  The program will begin at 9:00 a.m.  We will also celebrate November 11^th with the opening of our Fall Book Fair.  The following week, November 14-18, is American Education Week and Bullying Awareness Week, with activities taking place throughout the week.

·      PAWS Advisory Program – Grade-level teams will work together at our November 2 faculty meeting to plan and prepare for the November 16 meeting of our PAWS advisory groups.  Mrs. Andrews (Grade 6), Mrs. Pitts (Grade 7), and I (Grade 8) will be visiting your classrooms to take your group’s picture at that next meeting.  These are the pictures that will be displayed outside of your classroom along with your group’s adopted name.  

·      Food for Thought:  “New frameworks are like climbing a mountain - the larger view encompasses rather than rejects the more restricted view.”   ~Einstein  

Let us remember those in need in healing and wholeness as we work each day for the betterment of our students, school, and community.
  Have a great week!

Monday Minute - October 10, 2011

In the days ahead, two events stand out in their level of importance to our school and school system. We will be meeting with PAWS advisory groups for the first time on Thursday, October 13 and will host a SACS accreditation team on Tuesday, October 18. Above all else, I ask that each of us take the necessary steps to be at our best for both. Don’t hesitate to see me if I can assist you in your preparations.

SACS Interview Groups - I have shared the rosters of the interview groups who will meet with the accreditation team next Tuesday.  I will meet with each group this Thursday, October 13.  My meeting with the student group will be at 2:25 in the cafeteria  and will conclude at 2:40.  I will meet with the teacher group and Leadership Team at 3:05 in the Media Center.  After discussing the interview process, the teacher group will be excused and we will finish the Leadership Team meeting agenda. 

SACS Walk-Through and Classroom Observations – The finalized schedule of the accreditation team’s  walk-through (8:00-8:30) and classroom observations (9:50-10:20) will be provided to all teachers on Tuesday, October 11.

Displays of Student Work - I am pleased to see exemplary student work being displayed throughout our building.  In a recent meeting with other building administrators, it was discussed that the accreditation team will be looking for evidence of our school improvement efforts.  Displays of exemplary student work in classrooms and hallways are not just an attempt to impress our visitors.  They communicate high expectations and create a vision for our students of what quality looks like.   

This Week’s Collaboration Meetings  – Reading/ELA teachers will meet today at 3:05.  Science teachers will meet tomorrow at 3:05, and the Social Studies meeting will take place on Wednesday at 3:05.  All meetings will be held in the Media Center. 

CMS Football – The CMS Tiger football team wraps up its season this Wednesday at Oglethorpe County.  The team is on a roll having won every game since a season opening loss to Franklin County.  Their record stands at 4-1.

Thank You – Thank you to those teachers who attended last week’s PTO meeting. We had a solid turnout of parents, and I was pleased with our guest speaker and the outcomes of the meeting.  For those unable to attend, we will be holding our 5^th Annual PTO Halloween Dance from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 27. Our students have always been very well-behaved at our dances, but we can never have too many teacher chaperones. 

Mock Writing Tests – We will schedule mock writing tests today for all grade levels.  In addition to these mock tests, it is essential that teams work together to develop writing activities for students not only as we approach these tests, but throughout the school year.  Consider this forthright quote below from Mike Schmoker:  “Students in successful schools are regularly involved in writing across the curriculum.   They do not use writing as a diversion from math, science, music, or physical education.  Rather, they proceed with the conviction that if these subjects are worthy of thinking, then they are worthy of writing.  Courses in the school that do not require students to participate in meaningful writing exercises are a disservice to the literacy development of the students and to the academic progress of the school.”

Moodle Training and an Interesting Article  – Twenty-two teachers and administrators will be participating in Moodle training on October 26, and again on December 13.  I am really excited about the doors this training will open for our teachers, students, and parents. Some of those participating in the training are admittedly stepping outside their “comfort zone,” and I applaud you.  As Will Richardson shares in Lifelong UNlearning, traditional educational models are changing radically. All of us have a great deal to relearn and unlearn.

Food for Thought -  “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”   --Steve Jobs

Let us remember those in need in healing and wholeness as we work each day for the betterment of our students, school, and community.

Have a great week!

Commerce Middle School PTO News

The Commerce Middle School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) met on Tuesday, October 4.  The meeting agenda included a presentation by Principal Chuck Bell on the "State of the School," and an informational session on the Bridge Bill led by Hal Wilkinson of the Georgia Student Finance Commission.  The organization also discussed:

• This year's Halloween Dance to be held on Thursday, October 26 from 3:00-5:00 p.m.
• Organizing a run/walk fund-raiser on the new CMS track.
• PTO Board nominations
• American Education Week (November 14-18) activities
• CMS Book Fair (November 11-18)
• School-to-home communications

Thank you to all parents, guardians, students, and staff who attended this meeting.  Your support and involvement are making a difference every day at CMS!

The "State of the School" presentation is embedded below.  Click the toggle button at the bottom of the presentation for a full-screen display.

Monday Minute - September 26, 2011

Students in Mrs. Rettenmaier's Georgia
History classes created three-dimensional maps
of our state's major regions. Many are on display
in the school's atrium area

*All benchmark assessments should be administered by the end of this week. In our next content-area collaboration meetings will discuss, review, and reflect on the performance of your students on these assessments. If you have not already, please remember to submit a copy of your benchmark assessment(s) and answer key(s) to me this week.

*I’m hopeful all finalized adjustments have been made to each grade level’s Acceleration course rosters since last week’s collaboration/RTI meetings.  Since our focus at those meetings was on general education students, I ask that you also communicate any needs with regards to our special education students. Let’s make sure that any special education student who would benefit from participation in an Acceleration class has been scheduled accordingly.    

*Prior to this Wednesday’s faculty meeting, I’ll be checking in with members of the Leadership Team about their grade level’s first advisory meeting plans (grades 6-8).  All teachers will be meeting with their advisory groups on Wednesday, October 12.

*More important SACS Accreditation Review information will be shared with CMS teachers, staff, parents, and students this week.  All teachers should anticipate members of the review team to visit their classroom on Tuesday, October 18.  As previously shared, on that same date, all interviews with the review team will take place here at CMS.

*Mrs. Andrews and I will begin doing CLASS Keys informal observations with teachers who have finished their pre-evaluation meetings and finalized their professional growth plans.  At least two of these observations (unannounced) will take place during the year.  We will continue the mini-observation process throughout the year. 

*Please send me an email message if you are interested in participating in our upcoming Moodle training. This training is part of our school’s strategy/action plan designed to get more teachers and students using technology effectively. It will take place here at CMS (1/2 day sessions) on Wednesday, October 26 and Tuesday, December 13.  Why should you consider using Moodle? “Simple answer – creative use of Moodle enhances teaching and learning.”  Learn more by going to What is Moodle?

*Don’t forget to complete the professional learning/legally-mandated training communicated by Dr. Tolbert via email by September 30. See me if you have any questions.

*Please read Chapter 1 of Mike Schmoker's book, Focus prior to our next content-area collaboration meeting.

*Come enjoy the game…Commerce Middle School will host Athens Academy in football this Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Tiger Stadium.

*Food for Thought: This is a great message for students anytime, certainly during benchmark assessment week.  It is also an important message for adults in all professions: “Try and fail, but don’t fail to try.”

Let us remember those in need in healing and wholeness as we work each day for the betterment of our students, school, and community. Have a great week!

Friday Focus - September 16, 2011

     The first six weeks of school ends today.  The fresh new school year, while still young, has seen routines and rituals established in all classes.  Our school improvement goals and CRCT targets have been set, and within days students will be provided account of how they have performed in each of their classes thus far.
     As our school's instructional leader, I feel it essential that I share (re-share for many) my thoughts on grading practices. At Commerce Middle School, the expectation is that grades represent a clear and accurate indicator of what a student knows and is able to do—mastery. We know the non-academic factors (e.g., effort, attendance, attitude, etc.) impact performance, but incorporating them into final grades is discouraged.
     I recognize and support the professionalism of every teacher in our building and defer to your discretion in determining your manners of grading. At the same time, I strongly discourage recording zeros for work not done.  Teachers using a 100-point scale who do not replace a zero with a fifty or sixty to equalize the influence of all grades earned, end up recording inaccurate grades. Once a student has crossed over into “failure,” delineating degrees of failure doesn’t help anyone, and it lessons the usefulness of the grade. The best professional article ever on the topic can be found at The Case Against the Zero.
     Don't hesitate to share your thoughts on grading and assessment at next week's grade-level collaboration meetings.
     --The window for posting six weeks grades is open.  Report cards will be issued next week and the Counselor Watch lists will be updated.  Student failure rate data will be shared with everyone as it become available.   
     --As we begin a new six weeks grading period, we must continue to monitor the academic progress of all CMS students.  Please encourage students to participate in before and after school tutoring, and work within your teams to make optimal use of guided study time.
     --All grade level teams should be reviewing the rosters of students in Acceleration classes and preparing to make recommendations on who would benefit from the additional time and support in Reading/ELA or Math. Please communicate with the Acceleration teacher at your grade level regularly to let him/her know who, what, when, and how he/she can help move students forward in your current units of study.
     --This year’s first meeting of the Commerce Middle School PTO will take place on Tuesday, October 4 at 7:00 in the cafeteria.  All teachers are invited to join the PTO and participate in the organization's activities.  The mission of our PTO is to enhance the education of the Commerce Middle School students by promoting understanding among students, parents, faculty and administration, and the community.
     --Hispanic Heritage Month began today and extends into the month of October.  An abundance of teaching resources are available online. 

     --Food for Thought:  “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.”

                                                                                        --Benjamin Franklin

     Have a great weekend!

Math Hits the Pavement at CMS

Mr. Friend provides assistance to a student working on square roots.

Math has received a stigma over time and there are even adults who can’t stand thinking about math. How do educators and administrators decrease the negative stigma associated with math?  At Commerce Middle School, we talk about making math relevant and engaging.  Mr. Friend's eighth grade math students were engaged and learning today about multiplying and dividing radicals.  It was a great day for math to "hit the pavement" at CMS.  

These young ladies proclaim, "Problem solved."